David Williams (1786-1860) was a Scholar of Winchester College, 1799-1802; Fellow of New College, Oxford, 1802-1810; Commoner Tutor at Winchester, 1806-1810; Second Master of Winchester, 1810-1824; Headmaster of Winchester, 1824-1835; Warden of New College, 1840-1860; Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, 1856-1858.

The Royal Academy Catalogue of 1838 states that the portrait was: ‘painted for and presented to him by a numerous body of his former pupils, on the occasion of his retirement from the Head-Mastership of Winchester College in December, 1835’ (p. 25).

A mezzotint by William James Ward was published in 1838.

Exhibited: Royal Academy 1838, no. 477

Provenance: Commissioned by a group of Williams’ former pupils and presented to him in 1835, thence by descent to Captain R.C. Williams by whom given to Winchester College in 1956

Location: School